French shoegazing titans Alcest recently announced a joint North American headlining tour with atmospheric rock masters Anathema.

In September and October 2013, Alcest will take a break from working on their upcoming fourth album, and join Anathema on the tour across the U.S. and Canada with the experimental mystics Mamiffer serving as the supporting act.

"We feel honored to tour with Anathema and Mamiffer. Since years Anathema is making this unique mix of prog and emotional rock" Alcest Frontman Neige said. "Mamiffer is the post-rock/experimental band of Faith Coloccia and Aaron Turner, talented Isis founding member and founder of Hydra Head Records. Sounds like a diverse and attractive billing! And this will also be the opportunity for us to play a few songs from our next album. See you in a few months!"

I really like Anathema but I watched some interviews of Vincent and Danny recently and they seem to thumb their nose at metal in that sort of hipster kind of way. I got the sense, especially with Vincent, that there is this notion that their doom metal beginning has made it difficult for them to attain significant mainstream notoriety. He seems almost borderline hostile towards the genre. Most of their fans are metal-heads and he's admitted as much so the attitude is somewhat baffling.